Keira banded this lovely male Bobolink – a bird that has just finished its long flight from the pampas in Argentina. -SJ
It’s hard to believe but we’re about two-thirds of the way through this Spring migration. And I must say, it’s been a slog. Day after day of cold, wet, windy conditions resulting for us in few birds. Each day we close down with the thought that tomorrow will be better. Usually it hasn’t been and we’ve had to be content with a new bird here, another there. So the Bobolink pictured above was a breath of fresh air! Faye, now known as the Bobolink Whisperer, found it in the nets as she crossed the meadow headed for the banding lab. -DOL
In old sailing ships, if bad conditions persisted, there was often talk of a “Jonah” on board – a person what brough bad luck to the ship. Once that person had been identified and thrown over board conditions often got better. We put our heads together and thought that maybe we had the culprit when Faye showed up with a Bobolink and all thoughts of a Jonah dissipated. And although banding numbers haven’t climbed significantly, the number of species encountered daily has: from 37 on the 5th to 52 yesterday, including a good number of migrants.
Here’s a kaleidoscope of pictures highlighting the finds of the past few days: Male Northern Yellow Warbler. -EAN Female Northern Yellow Warbler. -SJ The Three Amigas. -SJ The difficult thing about counting Turkey Vultures is…..have we already counted that one(s)? DPG The first few days of May were COLD////as attested to by the ice in the hummingbird feeder. -DOL This Blue-headed Vireo was a pleasant surprise. -DOL Female Wood Duck in the trees. -SJ Devika intent on her American Goldfinch -SJ The yellow and white pattern on male Bobolinks makes me think of dandelion flowers and seed heads, plants found in the grasslands they live in. Do you think the colouring is camouflage? -SJ Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak – a regular at the platform feeder. -SJ Sandhill Cranes have become regular breeding birds in the area. -SJ As have Bald Eagles. -SJ Emma with a friskly Northern House Wren. -DOL Stunning male Eastern Bluebird. -DPG The hanging platform feeder is a busy spot. -SJ Song Sparrows are taking advantage of the dense dry prairie grass tussocks and (I’m pretty sure) are nesting beneath them. -EAN Love springs eternal…..-SJ A great crew – makes it all worth while. -DOL
Rick
I enjoy reading these reports so much. Looks like you have no shortage of good help in spite of the lousy weather. One day I hope to visit, but I’m in an even colder location, the Kawartha’s. Birds are trickling in.
I enjoy reading these reports so much. Looks like you have no shortage of good help in spite of the lousy weather. One day I hope to visit, but I’m in an even colder location, the Kawartha’s. Birds are trickling in.